The Taiwanese government is monitoring online rumours of a pneumonic plague outbreak allegedly spreading from Russia to China.
Its head of government, Premier Cho Jung-tai, also said the health department may strengthen existing quarantine measures should developments arise.
During a legislative meeting on Tuesday (13 Oct), Wang Ting-yu, a legislator from Taiwan’s ruling party, said rumours claim the disease has affected several Chinese provinces.
He then asked whether the government was concerned about the outbreak and has plans in place to prevent the disease from spreading to Taiwan, given its frequent interactions with China.
In response, Mr Cho said the Ministry of Health and Welfare has briefed the central government on the issue two weeks ago.
Subsequently, it enforced border quarantine measures.
Source: Taiwan Today
Additionally, Mr Cho said the government is “highly, highly concerned” about the disease.
He said relevant authorities are continuously monitoring online reports about the disease from China, checking for any “suspicious” developments.
They will then determine whether they need to strengthen existing quarantine measures.
According to Focus Taiwan, Mr Wang also cited claims that online posts about the alleged plague cases in Sichuan Province had been removed.
In response, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng said China had always been transparent about disease outbreaks.
He added that the MAC would stay in close contact with the health ministry to ensure Taiwanese executives working in China are informed of the disease’s developments.
The health ministry has also contacted the World Health Organization (WHO) to confirm whether the death of a laboratory worker at a plague research institute in Russia was due to pneumonic plague.
“However, so far, no tests of pathogens or other samples have returned positive results, so it cannot be concluded at this point that plague was definitely the culprit,” said Health Minister Shih Chung-liang.
Between 1 and 2 Oct, a laboratory worker at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East died after developing severe pneumonia.
An independent news outlet in Russia reported this may have been due to exposure to the bacterium that causes plague, as she allegedly broke a test tube at the institute.
Image adapted from Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East. For illustration purposes only.
However, this report has not been verified.
An investigation also found no laboratory accident involving dangerous microorganisms, Russia’s public health agency said.
Additionally, an extensive examination of samples from the deceased found no microorganisms associated with her work.
The cause of her illness is officially stated as pneumonia of “unknown” origin.
Nearly 200 people believed to have had contact with the deceased have reportedly been placed under observation.
However, no plague infections have been confirmed among them so far.
The hospital where she was treated was quarantined, and restrictions have been implemented in other medical facilities in the region.
So far, Russian authorities say the state of the disease within the country is stable, The Straits Times (ST) reported.
Meanwhile, WHO says the disease’s risk to the general population appears to be low, based on unofficial information available.
It is seeking information from Russian authorities about the incident and the results of the laboratory tests being conducted.
Additionally, WHO wants to know why the deceased’s contacts are being traced, if any have become ill, and whether the incident has global health implications.
Plague is a bacterial infection caused by Yersinia pestis, which usually affects rodents and small mammals, as well as their fleas.
Pneumonic plague is the form that affects the lungs.
It can develop when another form of plague spreads to the lungs or when a person inhales the bacteria through an infected person’s or animal’s respiratory particles.
Source: CDC
It is the most rapidly progressing form of the disease.
Its symptoms include fever, weakness, chest pain, shortness of breath, coughing, and, sometimes, bloody mucus or saliva.
With antibiotics, modern hygiene measures, and disease surveillance, plague is no longer the massive threat it was centuries ago.
However, it can still kill an affected individual within a day if it is not diagnosed and treated quickly.
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Featured image adapted from Leung Cho Pan on Canva, Physician’s Weekly, both for illustration purposes only.